Nearly 16 years ago, a Canadian regional airline called Porter Airlines took to the skies for the first time. Though it has endured its fair share of ups and downs through the years, the carrier is poised for a massive North American expansion in the years to come.
It was 23 October 2006 when Porter Airlines’ inaugural flight lifted off from runway 08/26 at what was then known as Toronto City Centre Airport (CYTZ/YTZ) in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The flight, bound for Ottawa Macdonald–Cartier International Airport (CYOW/YOW), marked the humble beginnings of a brand new, all-economy class airline that featured typically higher-end onboard service, such as complimentary snacks and glassware.
Throughout its 16-year history, Porter has been an exclusively De Havilland Canada Dash 8 Q400 operator. The airline launched with a fleet of ten Dash 8s. By the end of 2009, the fleet had grown to 20.
Growing Pains at YTZ
Toronto City Centre Airport, which became Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport in 2009, is situated on an island in Lake Ontario immediately off the coast of downtown Toronto.
At a mere 3,988 feet, the Dash 8 is a logical choice for an airline that chose to build a hub at the small airport. However, because the runway at YTZ is 600 feet shorter than what Bombardier required for a fully loaded 78-seat Q400, Porter had to fit its Q400 fleet with 70 seats. This satisfied safety issues related to the short runway length while simultaneously creating a relatively spacious cabin with generous leg room on board.
Porter quickly outgrew its existing facilities at YTZ. A new passenger terminal was constructed and partially opened to the public in 2010. Once fully completed in March 2011, the new terminal featured ten gates, a Canadian Customs facility, car rentals, two lounges, and restaurants.
The airport is accessible via ferry service or a pedestrian tunnel 100 feet under Toronto’s Inner Harbor. It is not accessible by car. A bridge to the airport was proposed as recently as 2002, but the project was scrapped the following year.
Runway Expansion
Due to its proximity to densely populated downtown Toronto, noise issues have long been a concern at YTZ. Jet aircraft (with the exception of medevac flights) have been banned at YTZ since the early 1980s.
An attempt to lift the ban on jet operations began in 2013 when Porter Airlines announced its intention to become the Canadian launch customer of the Bombardier CSeries line of aircraft. Porter signed a conditional agreement for 12 CS100s with a max capacity of 135 passengers – with options for an additional 18. The deal depended entirely on the approval of jet traffic into YTZ and subsequent runway expansion.
The plan, however, was met with opposition. Groups opposed to the runway expansion said that noise would become a constant issue should jets be allowed at Billy Bishop, even though CSeries jets would have been no louder than a Dash 8. In late 2015, the Canadian government essentially killed the project when it ruled out lifting the jet ban at YTZ, which remains in place until at least 2033.
Meanwhile, Bombardier CSeries was purchased by Airbus and became the A220 program. The proposed CS100 became the A220-100, while the larger CS300 became the A220-300. Despite the decision to keep the jet ban at YTZ, Porter initially elected to keep its conditional agreement in place for the A220. However, the order was finally canceled in late 2018.
Without Expansion at YTZ, Now What?
With passenger counts approaching nearly 3 million at YTZ in 2018 and 2019, Porter Airlines needed to make some decisions.
And then, 2020 happened.
Porter suspended operations due to the coronavirus pandemic on 18 March 2020 and would not operate a single revenue flight again until 8 September 2021 – 18 months later.
Recovery was slow and Porter was stuck. Growth was next to impossible without a massive overhaul of its business model.
A New Era of Growth
So, on 12 July 2021, Porter announced a $5.2 billion deal to purchase 30 Embraer E195-E2 aircraft, with purchase rights for an additional 50. At the 2022 Farnborough Air Show approximately one year later, Porter announced a firm order worth $1.56 billion for 20 additional E195-E2s, bringing the total deal to 50 firm orders and 50 options. The deal also leaves open the possibility of converting some of the E195-E2s to smaller E190-E2s.
Porter Goes Brazilian
Set to become the North American launch customer of the Brazilian-made aircraft, Porter will operate the jets out of Toronto’s Pearson International Airport (CYYZ/YYZ). Just under half an hour from downtown Toronto, Porter’s Pearson operation will allow the carrier to deploy its new jets to destinations in western North America, such as Vancouver, Los Angeles, and San Francisco, as well as Mexico and the Caribbean.
Additional E195-E2s will be based in Ottawa (YOW), Halifax, Nova Scotia (YHZ), and Montreal, Quebec (YUL). The airline has not released any additional schedule information for the new aircraft. Porter will maintain its fleet of 29 Dash 8s at YTZ.
“Embraer has a proven aircraft, representing the best of environmental efficiency, operating performance, and passenger comfort,” said Michael Deluce, President and CEO of Porter Airlines. “We are in final preparations to introduce the E195-E2 to North America, joining other global airlines already benefiting from its use. The aircraft will become core to our fleet as Porter reshapes passenger expectations for air travel in the same way we did over 15 years ago. Announcements are forthcoming that will detail our initial routes, in-flight product, and other details.”
With the ability to seat between 120 and 146 passengers, the E195-E2s will feature all leather seats, adjustable headrests, and inflight power. It will be interesting to see if the airline continues or expands its generous in-flight offerings.
Will Competitors Stunt Porter’s Plans?
As Porter embarks on its massive North American expansion, the airline may begin to face some additional competition.
Boston-based Waltzing Matilda Aviation plans to launch scheduled service from Billy Bishop Airport in the coming months under the name Connect Airlines. Initial destinations include Chicago O’Hare (ORD) and Philadelphia (PHL). With an emphasis on business travelers, the new airline will utilize leased Dash 8s from British carrier Flybe. The startup carrier – which is in the process of hiring 30 direct entry US captains at an industry-leading $250K/year – has also placed an order for 75 converted ATR 72-600s.
Canada Jetlines, another startup carrier, plans to launch scheduled service on 29 August from Toronto Pearson. According to its website, the airline will utilize a fleet of up to 25 Airbus A320s. Initial destinations include Winnipeg, Manitoba (YWG), Moncton, New Brunswick (YQM), and Niagara Falls, Ontario (IAH).
With the exception of Moncton, neither carrier plans to go head-to-head on routes Porter flies – at least for now.
A New Era at Porter
Even with startup carriers threatening to eat away at some of its market share, Porter Airlines is poised for a period of massive growth.
With 17 destinations in Canada and five American destinations – Boston (BOS), Chicago Midway (MDW), Myrtle Beach (MYR – seasonal), Newark (EWR), and Washington Dulles (IAD) – Porter is well positioned to take advantage of the airline industry’s post-pandemic recovery.
With the advent of the jet age at Porter, the carrier is on the precipice of becoming a truly North American airline.
